Miyazu

Miyazu is a city in northern Kyoto Prefecture, on the coast of the Sea of Japan at the western edge of Tango Peninsula. It is best known for Amanohashidate, one of Japan's three great scenic views (Nihon Sankei). The Miyazu Bay and the Yura River estuary create a striking landscape of pine-covered sandbars, rolling hills, and fishing ports. The city has a long maritime history as a port connecting to Hokuriku and Hokkaido.

Miyazu is accessible via the Kyoto Tango Railway (Kitakinki Tango Railway). From Kyoto Station, take the Hashidate limited express direct to Miyazu (about 2 hours). From Osaka, take the JR Fukuchiyama Line to Fukuchiyama and transfer. By car, it is about 1.5 hours from Kyoto via the Kyoto-Jukan Expressway.

The city centre and Amanohashidate are walkable. Local buses connect Miyazu Station to the Amanohashidate viewpoint, ferry terminals, and the outlying coast. Bicycle rental is available near the station.

• Amanohashidate — the iconic sandbar lined with 8,000 pine trees, stretching 3.6 km across Miyazu Bay. View it from the Amanohashidate Viewland observation deck or Mount Nariai.

• Amanohashidate Viewland — a cable car and chairlift to a hilltop with the classic "flying dragon" view of the sandbar.

• Chion-ji Temple — a temple at the base of the sandbar, with a famous bowl-shaped well and a rope with which to view the sandbar upside down.

• Motoise Kono Shrine — a Shinto shrine connected to Ise Jingu, set in a forested hillside.

• Miyazu City History Museum — local history exhibits including maritime artifacts and the Tango silk trade.

• Walk or cycle the sandbar — the Amanohashidate sandbar has a walking and cycling path its full length.

• Ferry across Miyazu Bay — boats connect Amanohashidate to the opposite shore.

• View from Mount Nariai — the Kasamatsu Park cable car provides a different perspective of Amanohashidate.

• Swimming — nearby beaches such as Yura Beach are popular in summer.

Miyazu is known for its seafood, especially crab (matsuba-gani) in winter, ama-ebi (sweet shrimp), and hamo (pike conger) in summer. Sushi restaurants near the harbour serve fresh catch.

Local sake from Kyoto's Tango region is available. The area also produces a yuzu liqueur.

Accommodation ranges from ryokan with hot spring baths facing the bay to business hotels near Miyazu Station. Many ryokan offer kaiseki dinners featuring local seafood.

Tango chirimen (silk crepe) textiles are a local speciality. Amanohashidate-themed souvenirs and local seafood products are sold near the sandbar.

• Maizuru — port city with a Maritime Museum and red-brick warehouses
• Ine — the famous funaya (boat houses) fishing village
• Kyotango — the Tango Peninsula coastline and Yuhigaura beach
• Tottori — Tottori Sand Dunes, accessible from the San'in coast